Laboratory gas burner and valve operator



Sept. 9,- 1952 L. RIEBMAN ETAL LABORATORY GAS BURNER AND VALVE OPERATOR Filed Sept. 16, 1949 finventora Leon Puiebmnn Samuel Lumbem.

W a 3 u attorney Patented Sept. 9, 1952 1 OFFICE LABORATORY GAS BURNER AND VALV OPERATOR Leon Riebman and Samuel Lambert,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 16, 1949, Serial No. 116,058

2 Claims.

Our invention relates to gas burners and relates particularly to a single tube burner.

Heretofore, single-tube burners have been manufactured employing a hand-operated valve for regulating the burner flame. When such burners are used in certain manufacturing processes, particularly in the manufacture of molds and artificial dentures, the burners are used frequently but intermittently. It is necessary for the operator to manually light the flame and turn the gas on and oif each time the burner is used. If allowed to operate continuously, the burners generate a large amount of heat which makes the air uncomfortable for the workers. Also, this practice wastes gas, and imposes a heavy load on the air conditioning system.

An object of our invention is to provide a laboratory burner which is particularly suitable for intermittent use.

Another object of our invention is to provide a burner of the character described which maintains a tiny pilot flame during the idle period, and which may be turned up as long as necessary by a touch of the finger, or which may be locked in the full flame position for extended periods of time.

A further object of our invention is to provide a burner of the character described which, when released, will automatically turn itself off.

Other objects of our invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, our invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

1 is a side elevational view of the burner, part of the interior of which is illustrated in phantom outline.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the burner in the chi position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the burner in the on-releasable position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary diagrammatic View of the burner in the on-locked position.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts, we show a burner generally designated as A.

The burner A comprises a base in adapted to be screwed to the work bench. The base supports a socket l2, the wall of which is laterally drilled to admit a gas tube 14. This tube carries a collar I6 at the free end, over which is slipped the hose from the gas supply (not shown).

A- nipple l5 threads into the socket l2 "and" carries at its upper end the valve body 18. The barrel 2B screws into the upperend of the valve body. l

The valve body I8 is provided with avertically extending gas passage 22, and is horizontallydrilled to admit the valve-rod 24. A pilotjtube 28 of narrow bore enters the valve body below; the rod 24 so that the lower end. 28 communicates with the gas passage 22, while the upperenditll. of the pilot tube is fastened adjacent to the burner mouth 32 by a wire clip 34. An air regulating sleeve 36 is supported upon the barrel 20 which is laterally pierced with air holes (not shown).

The horizontally extending valve rod 24 has an integral collar 38 which bears against the valve body. The valve rod is secured to the body by an end bolt 40 and a spring washer 42. The rod is transversely drilled to form a gas passageway 44 so that when the passageway is aligned with the vertical body passage 22, the gas passes freely therethrough. The free end of valve rod 24 carries a handle 45 whereby the rod may be rotated by the finger to regulate the flame.

A short horizontal pin 46 projects from the collar 38 into an arcuate recess 48 in the valve body. When the rod is rotated to the on position (clockwise as seen in Figs. 3 and 4), the pin 46 encounters a spring-pressed ball detent 5i! housed in the valve body adjacent the arcuate recess 48.

A torsion spring 52 has one end secured in a collar 54 on the valve rod 24, and has its other end fastened to the valve body at a point 56. This spring urges the valve rod 24 counterclockwise, thereby tending to turn the burner off, as in Fig. 2. In this position the pin 46 is arrested by the upper end 58 of the recess 48. Since pilot tube 26 communicates with the gas passage 22 below the valve rod, a small quantity of gas flows through the pilot tube at all times, to supply a tiny flame 60. When the valve handle is depressed by the linger, as shown in Fig. 3, additional gas flows through the barrel and is ignited by the pilot flame, to form a large flame 62. If the burner is to be used for a long period of time, the handle is pressed further down until the pin overrides the detent and abuts the lower end 64 of the recess 48 (as shown in Fig. l). In this position, the ball detent 50 looks the valve rod in the on position, and the operator may remove his finger and the burner continues to operate with a full flame. To turn the burner off, the operator merely pulls the lever up, again overriding the detent 50.

Of course, for protracted heating there is no advantage in using such a burner over a conventional burner, but for intermittent use our burner saves gas, is; more convenient to use, and does not! heat the surroundings objectionably.

Although our invention has been described in considerable detail, such descripition is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since. the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

We claim as our invention:

1. A laboratory gas burner having a, base, a hollow socket on said base, a gas valve body supported by said socket, a barrel supported. at one end of said valve body and in communication therewith,,a valve disposed, within the interior of said valve body to, control the supply of gas to said barrel, a pilot tube having one end adjacent the; free end of said barrel and having its other end in constant communication with the interior at said: valve body upstream with, respect tosaid valve, means for supplying gas to the interior, of said socket, a. torsionv spring, said valve being urged; by said torsion spring to a closed position, and a spring-pressed ball detent carried: by said valve body, said detent being adapted to maintain said valve in fully open position against the action of said torsion spring.

2. A laboratory gas burner having a base, a hollow socket on said base, a gas valve body supported by said socket, a valve disposed within the interior of said body and in communication therewith, a finger operated handle to actuate said valve to control the supply of gas to said barrel, a barrel supported at one end of said valve body, a pilot tube having one end adjacent the free end of said barrel. and having its other end in constant communication with the interior of said valve body upstream with respect to said valve, means for supplyinggas to the interior of said socket, a torsion spring, said valve being urged by' said spring to a closed position, and a springpressed ball. detent carried by said valve body adapted to maintain said valve in fully open I position against the action of said torsion spring.

LEON RIEBMAN. SAMUEL LAMBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the. file, of this-patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 642,618 Long V Feb. 6, 19011 1,701,211 Muscillo Feb. 5, 1929.

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 351,794 Germany Apr. 13, 1922 693,535 France Aug. 26, 1930 

